Top football prospect

He is big, strong and fast. And he is, without a doubt, one of the top high-school recruits to come out of Hamilton in years.

He is on the radar of Canadian university recruiters from the University of British Columbia to Acadia and all throughout the Ontario University Athletics.

And, aside from his great physical skills, he is a winner. More on that later.

Daniel Petermann will be catching footballs in the fall. That much is sure.

But the huge question — the only real question with respect to the 17-year-old gifted athlete from Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School — is where.

Petermann's first choice would be to receive a scholarship to play Division 1 football in the United States. He has already received interest from some schools. His fallback would be to stay put and play for McMaster University.

So the youngster is waiting to make a final decision on his football future. In the meantime, the 6-foot, 210-pound slotback is ripping it up with the Hamilton Hurricanes, under the tutelage of head coach Rob Underhill. The Hurricanes are 5-0 this season in the Ontario Football Conference.

Underhill calls him the best high school slotback in Canada.

"I say he is one of the top if not the top receiver of his age in Canada," he said. Underhill lists his skill set: his ability to catch balls in traffic, a reputation for one-armed catches, a smooth route runner and elusive speed.

In his first three contests with the Hurricanes, Petermann had seven catches for 181 yards, three touchdowns and added 63 yards on five punt returns. He has since added three more majors in his past two contests. He is sneaky fast and has run a 4.48 in the 40-yard sprint.

Underhill suggests Hamilton football fans check out Petermann's efforts with the Hurricanes. He may not be here for long. Petermann is expected to be in action Saturday when the Hurricanes host Guelph at the Ron Joyce Stadium. Game time is 4 p.m.

"He has to be the No. 1 or No. 2 guy on every single Canadian university recruiting board. He is just one of those kids who is the full package," he said.

Last summer, Petermann played for Team Ontario West in the Football Canada Cup in London, Ont. When he made the all-star team and won the skills competition for catching, Canadian universities began calling his cellphone.

Petermann is a shy, soft-spoken kid, a still-growing teen in an already well-built man's body. He is quiet, but confident. He knows he has the physical tools and potential to reach his dream of playing professional football.

"I told Mac I would probably go to them if nothing happens (in the U.S). They are my Canadian option," he said.

He admits the recruitment process has been stressful.

"When we were in the heart of the recruitment (last fall), I remember it was eight weekends in a row I had visits. Friday night I would play a game and Saturday morning I would go on my (university) visit."

McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek admits he would love to see the youngster in maroon.

"Absolutely. Just a natural athlete and he looks so smooth out there whether he is retuning kicks, playing defensive back or catching passes. He is a natural. He hasn't flown under the radar for many of us," he said.

Ptaszek said Petermann is one of the most-gifted recruits Hamilton has produced in some time and compares him favourably to former OUA most valuable player Mike Di Croce out of Bishop Ryan.

"He is a gifted, skilled kid and he will be a fantastic university receiver. Perhaps I haven't seen a (Hamilton) receiver so skilled, so early since Mike Di Croce in 2009," he added.

Petermann, who has excelled in basketball and soccer, comes about his athletic genes naturally. His mother, Joanne, played sports at Penn State. His sister Alexandra, who turns 20 in August, is on a soccer scholarship and entering her third year at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La. And his younger brother Nicholas will enter Grade 10 in September and is playing football with the Hurricanes' junior varsity squad.

Petermann, who won Canadian national flag football championships in grades 7 and 8, also has the option of returning to Cardinal Newman for a fifth season. But, speaking of school, Petermann is coming off of a Grade 12 season rarely seen except in the old Chip Hilton sports book serials.

In football, Petermann's heroics sparked the Cardinals to a city championship.

In basketball, Petermann, who led the Cardinals to a junior championship by scoring the winning points in overtime, was a solid defender who led Newman to the city championship and its first OFSAA boys basketball tournament appearance in 38 years.

In soccer, Petermann was a star sweeper who helped his team to a 2-0 win in the city championship.

These days, Petermann hints there remains some stress as a final decision looms.

"It kind of is (stressful) because I have to make a decision soon. But I know I will make the right one, so whatever happens, happens."